570 replies to this topic

[Kapten Kapsell]

I didn't know that the zoning was for 17 stories. Is it actually zoned for a particular number of stories or for a particular height?

Anyway, so put 17 stories along Yates and 7 or 8 stories along view. I'm just making the obvious point that you would surely get less flak from the folks in adjacent buildings if you keep the View Street side short.

But if the View St. Side is zoned for 12 storeys, I don't know that Wave residents would have a forum to object to a 12-storey building there as a public hearing for a rezoning is not required. In theory, Chard needs only to apply for a development permit now...

[SamCB]

So glad Chard has this property now. I was waiting at a bus stop across the street from this site last night and felt it was nearly a dead zone, except for the bottle & can collectors walking around. Isn't it nice to have a developer we can put our faith in? The city oughta name something after him.

[ZGsta]

Looks like it might be a little while before we see anything become of the lot.

But Chard, who has plenty of projects already on his plate, is prepared to wait until the market is ready for another downtown development before he approaches the city for a development permit for the site.

He said there is no timeline in place for the company to approach the city.

"We are in the conceptual design stage at this time. We won't be jumping on it immediately," he said. "We bought it as an opportunity for development over the next few years."

Read more: http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz1bGpQJRZm

[jonny]

The Metropolitan building is 13 stories is it not? I see no reason why this development couldn't be higher.

With the length of this lot, I think it is suited towards a two tower design like The Falls and I think town houses would work well too. No retail space is required on View, and there is lots nearby on Yates. I would say 15 to 20 stories on Yates and 10 to 15 on View.

Either way, there is lots to be excited about here. Chard always delivers quality projects that look good and add a lot to the city. The main point is that he delivers, unlike other developers (*cough* Townline) that seem to struggle for whatever reason.

[jklymak]

The Metropolitan building is 13 stories is it not? I see no reason why this development couldn't be higher.

See, this logic I don't get. There are two "tall" buildings right across the street, two more next door, so this is the perfect location for another taller building? Until we approach Manhattan-like population densities, I don't think we are doing high density any favours by packing all the tall buildings right on top of each other like this. Bad planning.

Vancouver doesn't do this - in most places the tall buildings are staggered, with infill between.

[Mike K.]

"We are in the conceptual design stage at this time. We won't be jumping on it immediately," he said. "We bought it as an opportunity for development over the next few years."

This makes sense. Chard has one project wrapping up, another just starting construction and a third ready for pre-sales on Michigan Street in James Bay.

[jonny]

See, this logic I don't get. There are two "tall" buildings right across the street, two more next door, so this is the perfect location for another taller building? Until we approach Manhattan-like population densities, I don't think we are doing high density any favours by packing all the tall buildings right on top of each other like this. Bad planning.

Vancouver doesn't do this - in most places the tall buildings are staggered, with infill between.

Is the Metro right across the street from this lot? I thought it was staggered a bit over from this one.

[jklymak]

^ The Metropolitan overlaps half of this lot.

But that aside, the logic that says "there is one big building here, so there should be more, right here, this block!" seems like terrible planning to me, yet pretty prevalent in Victoria.

Space the tall buildings out a bit. Even if this were proposed on Blanshard, where the theater building is, I'd be OK with it, but right next to the Wave and 860 View w/ only the SVdP center (itself 6 stories) separating it, doesn't make much esthetic sense to me, and its bad for the current occupants of nearby buildings.

[Mike K.]

Those two buildings are 8 and 10-storeys tall (Wave's 13-storey portion is set very far back from the Emaar property). So whether the towers are 10 or 25 storeys it won't make much of a difference to people living in either of those lowrise buildings.

[jklymak]

^ I think the choice is between 4 storey infill and something taller.

But even so, I don't understand your argument - a 25 storey building is very different than a 10 storey building if you live less than 50 m from it.

[Mike K.]

A new thread for 819 Yates, now under control of Chard Development, has been created here.